Postnatal development of plasma FFA concentration and its influence of the separation of bilirubin from albumin binding in newborns.

The first part of the study gives data on the FFA concentrations, glycaemia and energy quotient in newborns with uncomplicated postnatal adaptation in the first 2 weeks of life. The study was carried out in a group of 69 full-term and 69 pre-term infants at the age of 24, 48, 72, 96 hours and 7 and 14 days. Although it is not the case of consecutive values of FFA concentrations in plasma, a certain developmental trend can be suggested. This is analogous in both groups with the only difference that in pre-term infants FFA culminate and decrease earlier (pre-term 48-72 hours, full-term infants 72-96 hours). The study shows that, in pre-term and full-term infants with satisfactory postnatal adaptation and above nutrition, stabilization of glucose-lipid metabolism occurs on the 3rd and 4th day after birth, respectively. In pre-term infants supplementary nutrition by the glucose system (glucose and amino acids) had a favourable effect. The second part of the study assesses the potential risk of increasing plasma FFA concentration for the separation of bilirubin from albumin binding. The means plasma FFA concentrations reached 25-48 and 49-72 hours after birth had no significant effect on the BCA/Bi ratio and, therefore, they are not dangerous as regards the possibility of displacing bilirubin from albumin binding.